It’s Diwali this week, and as I was mulling over what to write for this week’s LFTWednesdays I realised that this is a great opportunity to explore the ‘Lighthouse’ in Lighthouse Futures Trust. It’s one of the things you keep asking us to talk about: who are we and what do we do?
I remember watching Blue Peter back in the 80s, and they described Diwali as ‘The Festival of Light’ and that’s always stuck with me. Looking into it to write this, I found the description: inner light that protects from darkness. Wow – that sums Lighthouse up in a metaphorical nutshell.
As well as the obvious meanings of the word ‘Lighthouse’, standing proudly on a cliff shepherding travelers safely to shore, or a ray of light cutting through darkness, we sometimes get described as a ‘beacon of hope’. But we’re more than that; we’re lighting a candle on your windowsill when you’ve got in from work, settled into your PJs, and nod off whilst trying to watch Bake Off with a hot chocolate. We’re safe, comfortable, and somewhere you can call home.
Plus, our empathy, knowledge, lived-experience, and individual-based approach means that we wrap around our students like a comfy old cardigan. Lighthouse Futures Trust is a place you can learn in a way you personally need to, make friends who ‘get you’, do things you never dreamed you’d ever be able to do. Our young people are developing skills to help protect themselves from their inner darkness. And we’re here to support them as they do.
So light that candle when you get home tonight, and think about all those things you do that protect yourself and others from the darkness.